Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797

Brief Biography
described as a "hyena in petticoats"
Self-taught
Led a troubled life
Father was a bully
Left home at 19
Helped sister escape an abusive husband
Suicidal at times
Had jobs as governess, translator, literary advisor, article writer
an iconoclast and a radical
argued her whole life for the liberation and education of women.
observed the Revolution first-hand
Wrote Vindication of the Rights of Man in rebuttal to Burke
Eventually married her long time friend, radical William Godwin
Lost some credibility with radical friends
Mother of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein
died in childbirth

Concerning the Revolution
A true “child of the Revolution”
saw a new “age of reason” and benevolence coming
desired to bridge the gap between:
humanity’s present circumstance
ultimate idealized state of perfection
She was a parishioner of minister Richard Price, who started the whole debate
He praised the French Revolution
British people also had the right to overthrow a bad king
Was personally mad at Burke
She saw him as two-faced
Burke defended the American Revolution
She admired him at that time
Attacked Price when he supported the French Revolution

Literary Traits and Significance
Her ideas concerning the rights of women were truly revolutionary
The first real feminist
Desired to help women not only for their own sake, but also for the sake of their children and husbands
elevated to the rank of modern heroine in the 1970s
"lived out" her own theories.
Practiced what she preached

Mary Wollstonecraft

by Gregory Priebe on May 12, 2010

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